The invention relates to the heating of food articles.
Cooking apparatus for foodstuffs which exude fat is subject to what is known as "flaming", that is, ignition of the exuded fat, which occurs when the temperature of the exuded fat rises to a certain level. For example, during the cooking of hamburgers the exudate is liable to ignite at a temperature typically of the order of 370.degree.-380.degree. C. Flaming can of course be prevented by the use of cooking temperatures below the flaming level, and it is advantageous to use near infrared heating sources because the surface temperature of the radiators need be no more than about 250.degree. C. However, there are circumstances in which high temperature heat sources are employed, and when short cooking times are required, heat of considerable intensity has to be applied, even though infrared radiation sources are used, so that flaming occurs because of the temperature reached by parts of the cooking chamber on which fat has accumulated.
The invention accordingly has as an object the provision of a food heating method and apparatus whereby flaming is reduced or eliminated.